Week 24 Hitting Planner

Catcher

Mitch Garver, MIN (vs. SDP, vs.TOR)

Playing time could be an issue for the Twins young catcher with Jason Castro returning from the DL recently. This should stop Mitch Graver as he has been playing some first base as well as outfield. Hypothetically he forms a natural platoon with Max Kepler.

After starting his career 1-for-10, Gaver is beginning to turn it around. His average exit velocity over the last week has reached 95 mph, which is good for fourth since the start of the month. This hasn’t yet trickled onto the field as he is hitting almost 52.4% ground balls. If he starts to lift the ball more, Garver won’t have to worry about playing time.

First Base

Cody Bellinger, LAD (at SFG, at WAS)

It is easy to forget that Cody Bellinger is a rookie with his 36 home runs. Since coming off the DL, Bellinger’s BA has not been great (.219), but the power is there (.250 ISO). His EV currently sits at 92.9 mph over the last week, which is near the mark he’s had all season (90.7 mph). This week should see Bellinger’s average return to normal while still maintain his typical power.

Second Base

Max Moroff, PIT (at MIL, at CIN)

The upside for Max Moroff is his place in the Pirates’ lineup. He bats second behind Starling Marte and in front of Andrew McCutchen. This should give him plenty of opportunities to score and drive in runs. It also helps that he’s sporting a slash line of .357/.357/.714 over the last week. This week should be a huge week for the Pirates’ second baseman.

Third Base

Rio Ruiz, ATL (at WAS, vs. NYM)

The Braves recalled Rio Ruiz to start the month. He has homered and driven in five runs with a .368 batting average. It’s not surprising that over the past week Ruiz has the seventh best average EV at 93.9 mph. Currently, Ruiz splits time at third base with Adonis Garcia but should see a lot of starts in the Week 24 Hitting Planner against the Nationals and Mets who combined only have Gio Gonzalez as a lefty starter.

Shortstop

Alex Bregman, HOU (at LAA, vs. SEA)

Coming into the Week 24 Hitting Planner, Alex Bregman is in a bit of a funk. He has a .261 batting average without much power over his last seven games. On the bright side, he has been scoring more than a run a game and has swiped two bags in that same sample size. Seattle’s rotation is in shambles and should go a long way to boost Bregman’s value this week.

Outfield

Kyle Schwarber, CHC (vs. NYM, vs. STL)

While Kyle Schwarber is not a rookie, he forced his way into the Week 24 Hitting Planner. Schwarber’s last 11 games haven’t produced the best batting average (.169), but he’s crushed three home runs and pitched in six RBI. His 97.5 mph average exit velocity tops the list over the last week. The Mets don’t have a left handed starter projected in their rotation, so Schwarber should be in for a big week with his 130 wRC+ against right handers over the last 30 days.

Harrison Bader, STL (vs. CIN, at STL)

While he doesn’t have a clear cut starting spot, the Cardinals’ seem to be looking to get Harrison Bader playing time. Since his recall, Bader started his last four games played. In those games, he’s clobbered three home runs, scored six runs, drove in another six runs, and stolen a base. He should continue his hot streak in the Week 24 Hitting Planner as long as he gets the playing time.

Mitch Haniger, SEA (at TEX, at HOU)

Seattle needs more players to get hot if they want to capture a playoff spot, but Mitch Haniger isn’t one of them. Haniger has been hot over his last 11 games. His slash line of .295/.295/.500 speaks for itself. He’s chipped in two home runs and seven RBI in that time span as well. Hopefully, his strike out numbers (12 in 11 games) decrease to maximize his offensive potential in the Week 24 Hitting Planner, but if not, he should still be productive in the Mariners’ playoff hunt.

Final Thoughts

With the youth movement in the MLB in full swing, it’s only fair to look at the future of Fantasy Baseball. In the not too distant future in this case since this is only the Week 24 Hitting Planner. Thank you for reading, and tune in next week for…